Stuart Town Studios is situated in the historic gold mining town of Stuart Town, known in the 1800's as Ironbarks. The town was immortalised by the Banjo Patterson poem "The Man From Ironbarks" and in the gold rush days had a reputation as a wild and dangerous place. It is best described in a quote by a Sydney judge who claimed that "a high wall should be built around the town and not one soul let in or one soul let out".

These days the town has become a peaceful backwater of the central western area of New South Wales settled by artists, writers and children's book illustrators who reside in the few remaining historic buildings.

Stuart Town landscape

Remains of old gold mines on the common

HOW TO GET THERE

Stuart Town is situated 345 kilometres west of Sydney and is serviced by good roads and a daily Countrylink train service to and from Sydney.

For international visitors Orange has an airport and connection to Stuart Town by a 40 minute car or train journey. The nearest main towns are Wellington, Orange and Dubbo.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Stuart Town has a population of approximately 220 of which 7 are practicing full time writers, artists and illustrators. The main industry in the area is fruit orchards, sheep and cattle grazing and horse breeding. The town is very small but boasts a typical Australian pub, railway station, general store, post office and a Rural Transaction Centre equipped with computers, photocopier, fax, credit union and doctors surgery. (You will find many more images of the town on their website. Click here)

Please note that mobile phone coverage is limited.

Remains of old house on the common

Train Station

SURROUNDING AREA

Ten kilometres to the east is the Mookerawa National Park and the Burrendong Dam with a surface area three times larger than the Sydney Harbour. Remains of the gold diggings can be found scattered throughout the Ironbark trees that skirt the town and there is an abundance of wildlife including kangaroos, lizards and birds. Walking tracks leave the town and within a matter of minutes one is in the bush.

To the north is the Wellington Caves, a vast system of limestone caverns and an hours drive from Stuart Town is the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Forty minutes south one finds the cool country wineries of Orange and Cowra and to the north east the wineries of Mudgee.

CLIMATE

In the summer it is hot and dry without the usual coastal humidity. Frequent late afternoon storms bring cool and it is not unusual to need a blanket at night.

Winters are cold, but not bitterly so, with only one slight snowfall in the last 35 years.

Spring is very picturesque as there are plenty of fruit trees in the garden which blossom at this time.